(509au) Microwave Enhanced Decomposition of Methane over Iron to Carbon Nanotubes and Hydrogen

Recent work by researchers at West Virginia University has shown “base growth” of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on Fe-supported catalysts via thermocatalytic decomposition (TCD) of methane. Analysis of the spent catalysts found iron carbide as the active component for the generation of these CNTs. Conditions of the reactor promote the formation of iron carbide from the unreduced iron particles at the catalyst surface. This occurs simultaneously to the formation of CNTs, increasing the bulk of the catalyst until the conversion of methane reduces and the reaction is finished. Microwave catalysis offers an opportunity to improve the conversion and thermal efficiency of this reaction by focusing the energy onto the sites of the iron carbide. Since the fresh catalyst is not sensitive to microwave heating, further development of the catalyst for microwaves is performed with a focus on optimizing metal loading and reactive catalyst synthesis to produce a microwave sensitive catalyst to further enhance the generation of CNT and extend the catalyst cycle time.